


The Love That Resides Within

by MedHeadsUnite



Series: From Liars To Lovers. [3]
Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:09:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22273084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedHeadsUnite/pseuds/MedHeadsUnite
Relationships: Charlotte DiLaurentis/Melissa Hastings, Peter Hastings/Veronica Hastings
Series: From Liars To Lovers. [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/750783
Kudos: 4





	1. When Your Heart Is Your Guide.

For Charlotte, it's the little things.

The way Melissa's face lights up when she's laughing.

The way she does that heartstring tugging double brow wiggle when she's up to even the slightest bit of mischief, which is usually for the best of all it's intended for.

The most unforgettable memory came when she'd forgotten her corsage the eve of senior prom.

Melissa showed up with her date, the missing floral arrangement, which was eventually worn on her left wrist, in hand.

"What-- I thought," Charlotte remembers gasping out.

"They told me it was yours and that it was already paid for. So when I explained that we were planning to meet up at my place, they let mom and I take it."

It was the little gestures filled with thoughtfulness that meant the world to her then, and she was looking back on with the deepest fondness now.

It was on that fateful night that Charlotte realized that she was in love with her best friend.

And she was terrified.


	2. The Moment When You Know.

[ Junior year at Upenn]

Charlotte is three hours into her study session for French III, and Melissa knocks on the door.

She gets up to open it, smiling, "Good, coffee, I need some."

"And all the Danishes your heart desires," Melissa grins.

Charlotte smiles, grabbing the bag, Melissa setting her coffee cup on the coaster on her desk.

They both end up studying, long into the night, knowing their hellish Fall semester is about to end.

Two finals left, and they'd be able to go home.

Their foreign language finals (Spanish for Melissa and French for Charlotte) come up first, that Wednesday.

They reunite in the nearest commons with a food place, bundled up for winter.

"Confident?" she smiles at Melissa.

"I'm a Hastings," she reminds her friend, "I came out of the womb confident."

Charlotte exhales, grateful the brunette couldn't read her thoughts. 

God was confidence her number one turn on.

"I mean, I'm at the top of the class," she shrugs, revealing her confidence about her French final.

"Are we thinking about studying in Paris next semester?" Melissa sips her coffee.

"Yes actually, five weeks, in the middle of the semester," Charlotte reveals, "I've already paid for my spot. Mom's going to send me with enough money on one of our credit cards to survive the quarter."

"I should come visit," Melissa smiles.

"Or we could go this summer?" Charlotte supplies, an airy, hopeful tilt to her voice.

"Whatever you want," Melissa smiles back.

They smile, looking forward to the summer.

But in the meantime?

The entrepreneurship final, which thankfully, they were taking together.


	3. A Pleasant Surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> non-canonical.
> 
> Just borrowing my favorite troubled genius and Ivy League alum for a fic set in this world.

It was easy, Melissa had forgone an internship to take the lesser classes, enrolling in Summer C session so they could go on their summer break.

But first? Surprising her best friend in Paris right before the quarter ended. She'd even taken her finals early.

She moved back into the house, Peter handing her his credit card, "Proud of you."

"Thanks Dad," She beams.

She packs a small roller, complete with packing cubes, and a small backpack with her electronic equipment and notebooks and pens. She'd secured her desktop and laptop, her international phone the only thing she was taking.

Securing her wallet in her inside pocket, she placed her passport with it, kissing everyone goodbye before getting on the train. She'd be heading to Paris from JFK in New York.

Spencer rode the train with her, smiling, "Take lots of pictures."

"I promise," Melissa nodded.

They sat for the next forty minutes, catching up and planning how to surprise Charlotte.

Melissa didn't know, but Spencer's intuition would turn out to prove prophetic.

"This trip's going to change your life for the absolute better," the fifteen year old grins.

"You think so?" Melissa rose an intrigued brow.

"I can feel it, you're going to come back a new woman."

"That- that's quite a colorful statement," she laughs.

"I really do feel it in my soul," Spencer smiled, "I'm going to miss our chats while you're gone."

"That's why I have one of my throwaway emails on this phone, I've got yours in here, so I'll shoot you an email. Also, check my Facebook, that's where I'm going to post things."

"I can't wait to live vicariously through you," Spencer laughs.

Melissa beams, 'You and everyone else I know."

Three hours later, she was resting peacefully when Peter texted, "Miss you already!"

"Oh Daddy," she texts back, trying not to laugh, "I miss you too."

Ten hours later, she was on the train from London, where she'd met up with him at his place to drop her things off.

It had been too easy.

Charlotte had been standing in front of her, and when she turned around?

The blonde had been so stunned she'd almost dropped her insulated cup of coffee.

"Surprise," the brunette whispers meekly with a grin.

"I'll say," the blonde mouths, still absorbing the shock.

She orders, sitting down with the brilliant blonde a few minutes later.

"Hi," she laughs.

Charlotte chuckles, "Hello to you too. So?"

"I didn't want you to travel back alone," she grins.

"Is that all?" she flirts.

"Maybe?" she replies coyly, wiggling her brows at the blonde.

Charlotte sighs sadly.

"What?" Melissa noticed the vacant look in the brunette's eyes.

"Nothing, at least nothing I want to talk about here," she whispers.

That familiar look, filled with so much longing.

"I know," she whispers.

Charlotte looks at her a bit confused, "What?"

"I love you too," she admits.

She's rendered her best friend speechless, because as Charlotte looks up to ask for clarification, she's noticing something deeper in Melissa's eyes.

"I love you too," the brunette whispers again, the tilt to her voice airy, yet hopeful.

Charlotte grins, "I've waited forever to hear you say those words."

"I could keep saying them, or I could act upon them," she whispers into the blonde's ear, the lust undeniable.

"Damn," the blonde huffs, "Yeah.... let's get out of here."

She lets the blonde take her away, and a short walk later, they end up inside of her spacious apartment.

For a two bedroom in the heart of the Paris City Center, it's modest, but Charlotte just needed enough space to feel like things weren't closing in.

She wasn't there much anyway, between embracing the culture and studying.

So as soon as she places her coffee down, the energy shifts.

She feels herself getting lifted off the ground, Melissa raising a questioning brow.

"The door here," Charlotte points, her pulse racing and her eyes glazing over.

She throws it open, Charlotte leaning back to gently slam it shut.

She carries her over to the bed, laying her down on it before climbing on top of her, "Tell me."

"Be gentle, please," she whispers against Melissa's lips.

She starts with the lower lip, nibbling gently, Charlotte's pleasure filled whimpers echoing in her ear as she moved upward.

A kiss to the right temple, circling around to the lower lip, the blonde's eyes fluttering closed as the intense feelings washed over her.

She kisses her tenderly, "Hey, help me out here."

She lifts her arms up, Melissa tossing her shirt to the floor.

She gently sucks on every pulse point possible, Charlotte letting out a strangled whimper as she felt that familiar ache between her legs.

"More," the blonde gasps out, tugging on the brunette's silky locks.

Her shoes and socks went first, then her dress, "Damn, really...?"

"I mean, it's something to wear, but yeah," she laughs.

Melissa's carnal instincts kick in, and she rips the barely there undergarment clean off, tossing it on top of the other clothing.

"Fuck, I can't believe we're finally doing this," she moans.

"Turn me into mush," she groans.

"Hmm, whatever you want," she slides down, getting comfortable between Charlotte's legs.

"Oh baby," she whimpers, "You're soaking wet...."

"You have that effect on me you know," she whispers softly, letting out a guttural groan as she feels Melissa enter with her right index finger.

"Oh fuck...." she groans, her hips moving sharply upward at every forward thrust of Melissa's finger.

"So beautiful," the brunette whispers.

"Oh... oh my god!" Charlotte gasps out breathlessly, her head spinning. This wasn't happening was it?

It was almost too good to be true for the blonde, and it reasonably felt like a very lucid dream.

Melissa adds a second finger, pressing her lips to those of the whimpering blonde, "I love you...!"

"Close?" the brunette grins, wiggling her brows.

"Incredibly!" Charlotte cries out.

And suddenly, with one swipe across her swollen clit with both her finger and tongue, Charlotte came completely undone.

"Melissa!!!!!!!!!!!!" she screams.

"Mmm," she purrs, purely enjoying the fruits of her labor.

"Oh...." she whines, riding it out, her hands running through her lover's hair.

She passes out for a short time, waking up and looking around.

The unfamiliar jacket on her desk chair.

The smell of lust, love and sex in the air.

But then, she feels her eyes widen as she notices the familiar signet ring on the left hand of her best friend.

It hadn't been a dream at all.

The jacket belonged to the brunette lying in the bed with her, and they were both very much completely naked.

"Hey you," Charlotte whispers, a disbelieving look on her face.

"Hey yourself gorgeous," Melissa sits up, "You okay?"

Charlotte giggles, "God that was..."

"Mind blowing? Out of this world? The best you've ever had?" Melissa supplies with a smirk.

"Mmm, absolutely on all three counts," she moans softly against her lips as she kisses her passionately.

And she grins, "My turn...."

All she could do was grin, it was the perfect way to reunite, and Melissa was anything but regretful.


	4. The Credit You Deserve.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picking up breakfast from the cafe the next morning (and swiping the keys to the apartment in the process), Melissa emails Spencer.

Melissa sets the food and coffee down on the table, emailing Spencer.

"Hey, so, guess what? You were right. I'll find some WiFi and call soon. Love you!" she sends the email off.

Charlotte, wearing a pair of sweats and a tee shirt, stumbles out into the kitchen.

"Babe?" Melissa laughs.

"Mmm, food and coffee," the blonde mumbles sleepily, "You spoil me."

"I mean, what else is a girlfriend for?"

Charlotte blushes, "I love you."

"I love you too," she nods, smiling brightly.

After breakfast, they curl up on the plush couch, Charlotte sighing happily as she's resting against the brunette.

They're content just lying there for a while, being together again, and this time, officially.

She runs her hands over Melissa's stomach, and the brunette lets out a soft moan, "You're not getting an encore of last night."

Charlotte whined, "Really though? It was so hot!"

"I have other plans in mind silly," Melissa wiggled her brows.

"Like, going beyond an encore of last night?" she grins.

"Come here," she pulls her into her lap, "You feel that?"

Charlotte furrows her brow, and then feels Melissa thrust upward again.

That's when she whimpers, having felt it, "Are you....?" she whispers breathlessly.

"I put the harness on when I went to get breakfast," she whispers in her ear.

"Well, fuck..." the blonde lets out a loud moan at the visual.

"I think we both know where we want to see it next?" she runs her fingers through Charlotte's hair, tugging gently.

"Mmm, I don't really submit easy," she sighs.

"The sounds falling from your lips betray your words my love," Melissa sucks on the pulse points of her wrists.

"You--, I," Charlotte whimper moans.

"Give in to me," she whispers in her ear, an ache forming between the blonde's thighs at every single movement of the brunette.

"Get me naked and I swear I'll bend over faster than you can blink," she groans.

Five seconds later, they're on the bed, Melissa's body twitching in anticipation, the brunette groaning in pleasure as she slides into the blonde.

"Dear god yes!" she cries out.

"Fuck," Charlotte hisses sharply, "Oh god...!"

"Hey," she whispers, "deep breaths baby, I won't move until you're ready for me to."

"Damn," she whistles, "That's, that feeling's a lot more intense than I thought it would be."

"Hey look at me," she whispers.

Charlotte looks back, "Just wait for me, okay?"

"Just let me know when you're ready," she nods, the look in her eyes reading of nothing but genuine love.

"Mm... damn," Charlotte exhales sharply, "Oh god, you know, I didn't think it would pass that quickly."

"Are you sure baby?" Melissa cups her face gently in her hands.

She looks back, nodding, "Slowly baby."

She massages her ass, hissing in pleasure, "Damn Char... you feel so good.."

"Not as good as you feel," the blonde replied, moaning deeply.

Melissa kisses down her spine, feeling her body begin to stop resisting.

"Now," Charlotte whispers.

Melissa moans, "Damn, so tight..."

"Oh... damn...!" Charlotte groans deeply in pleasure.

"Oh god... you have any idea how good you feel?" she grips her hips and moves faster.

"Oh fuck.. Mel!" she hears the blonde exclaim, only leading her to go faster.

"Oh..... fuck!!!" Charlotte grits out.

She looks back, reaching up to grip Melissa's shoulder, "So good..." 

"Is it better?" she licks her lips, giving the blonde a sly grin.

"Baby?" she gasps out, "the real thing's always better, damn! right there babe!"

"There?" Melissa smirks, hitting the same spot again.

"Oh fuck... yes, right there!" she yelps.

"Mine..." Melissa thrusts forward, hitting the blonde's spot again.

"Oh fuck... always!" she gasps out breathlessly.

"Close?" she thrusts forward again.

"Fuck.." she whimpers, "Yes...!"

Charlotte feels her hands moving, yelping in pleasure as Melissa begins to rub her in time with her thrusting.

"Good god damn!" the brunette moans deeply, "You're so hot.... you know that?"

She leans against her, "Mmmm... I swear I'm so close!"

"Good... let go..." Melissa whispers in her ear.

"Faster, I'm almost there!" she whined.

"Cum for me," Charlotte hears the plea, arching upward and falling back down into the brunette's waiting arms as she exploded.

"Dear god....." she whines.

"Damn..." Melissa giggles, "You feeling better?"

"Yeah," she gasps out breathlessly, a grin on her face, "That was incredible."

"Who knew you were such a sub babe?" Melissa grins.

"Bite your tongue," she sighs happily, "That only happens for you."

She hadn't pulled out yet, "Good."

"Oh.. babe," she whines, Melissa gently thrusting deeper.

"Fuck, you know this toy has a base?" she pants.

"Mmm, self care while you're taking care of me?" Charlotte wiggles her brows.

Charlotte arches upward, moving against the toy.

"Oh shit!!!!!" Melissa leans against the headboard as her body begins to shake.

"Let go baby," Charlotte reaches up to touch her cheek, still moving against her.

"Oh damn," Melissa whines, "I'm about-- I can't.."

And suddenly the brunette is seeing stars.

"Mmmm, better?" 

She's so lost in the afterglow and basking, that she barely registers the blonde reaching up and pulling her gently down on top of her. Or the fact that she'd rolled over.

She blinks, "Well hello there."

"Mhmm," the blonde laughs.

"I love you," she whispers breathlessly against her lips.

"I know," Charlotte nods, reaching up to push some stray strands of hair out of her girlfriend's face, "I love you too."

"Hey, please tell me you have WiFi access?" she realizes she's got to call Spencer.

"Calling home?" she nods.

"Yeah, eventually," Melissa nods, spooning the shorter woman.

Charlotte smiles, "I actually do have access. Just let me know when you need it."

"I will," Melissa smiles, drifting off to sleep.

It doesn't take the sassy, super smart blonde long to do the same.


	5. A Summer Spent Abroad.

Melissa's eyes widened as her girlfriend plopped back down into her lap, a bucket of beers appearing beside her a second later.

"You're taking advantage of those boys," she laughs.

"Boys are toys, I'm yours and you know that," she swoons, leaning back and resting against the brunette, who had her bikini covered by her swim shorts and a tank, and her wayfarers covering her eyes.

"Yeah, I do," she smiles.

Hannah and Dan slid down, reaching for a beer.

"Oh look, it's our favorite leeches," Melissa jestingly sneers.

Hannah shot her cousin a playful scowl, "Watch yourself."

Melissa grins.

"So, what are we doing? I have to get some culture in," Charlotte whines.

"Which one of the museums in France has that collection from Matisse?" Daniel muses.

"Rodin," Hannah squeals.

"We are so going, have you ever seen your cousin swoon over Matisse? Oh my god..." Charlotte sighs.

"Easy tigress, we're in public," Melissa giggles.

"She certainly appreciates a Rembrandt," Dan grins.

"Rembrandt too," Melissa teases him, knowing the context the word was being used in, but taking advantage of the opportunity to pick on him.

"She never misses a chance," Dan snorts in amusement, Hannah grinning.

After soaking up some much needed rays, Hannah grins, "You still up for an adventure?"

"Always," the other three nod, raising intrigued brows.

"Let's grab our stuff and head back to drop it off, we're being picked up soon," Hannah smiles.

So they do just that, getting ready for a trip on the yacht Hannah's parents owned.

Melissa beams, "It's been a while, years in fact."

"And I thought my family lived a WASP-y life," Charlotte shook her head.

"Your mother bought and renovated a CRUISE SHIP, okay?" Melissa shook her head.

"Did she forget to mention that ship rivals the size of your yacht?" Charlotte shrugs.

"I mean, it's not a competition," Hannah laughs.

"You obviously have not met her mother," Melissa snorts in amusement.

"Oh trust me, I know the DiLaurentis clan, all too well," Hannah shakes her head with a smile.

Charlotte shoots Hannah a warning look.

Hannah fires one back, "Breathe a bit, It wasn't an insult."

"I had to warn you before you got carried away," the blonde offers the older brunette a soft smile, "Besides, we can't get into fights, your cousin and sisters would throw me over."

"You'd do well to remember that," Hannah smirks.

Melissa snarls, "You keep it up, you'll be the first one to get thrown over Han."

Carol clears her throat, "Good evening."

"Never mind all that," Hannah looks down at the floor.

"Well, I will, especially since I came up at the tail end of it," Dan stands there shaking his head with a soft smile.

"Hi Daddy," Hannah laughs.

Melissa is trying not to laugh, but Charlotte reaches over and runs her hand down her back.

Everyone jumps back at her surprised squeal, "I hate it when she does that."

Charlotte smirks, "I don't know who on earth she's trying to kid, she loves it."

"We do need to make haste," Dan reminds them, one of their party already in the limo.

The younger of the Hastings men peeks out, "We might want to head out."

Everyone else gets in, "We're on the way."


	6. A Day (and Night) At The Museum.

It was a very entertaining morning for Melissa, as she watched her girlfriend charm people with her knowledge of the exhibits at Rodin.

They'd picked up some replicated art for the apartment in Rosewood, Jessica and Kenneth leaving the property to Charlotte ahead of her early graduation in December.

It wasn't moving too fast, they'd thought. Melissa had been in her life for what seemed like forever after all.

But when did she realize she wanted forever?

She'd been strolling around arm in arm with someone else. And the brunette had gone off to tour the remainder of the Rodin Museum's exhibits with Hannah and Dan.

He could tell by the look on her face.

Hannah could tell by the serene yet repetitive foot tapping.

The tapping was the clue that something was bothering the younger girl, and Hannah always knew it, "That's your tell in poker too."

"I have a tell?" Melissa had whined in frustration.

"I'm your best friend, cousin, and godsister," she'd laughed in reply, "I'm supposed to know your tells by now."

Melissa had laughed, conceding that the older of the two had a fair point.

"I know she's-- it's innocent, but I always get so insecure when she does that," Melissa finally whispered.

Hannah sat down, a glass of wine in her hand, Dan offering the one he was holding to Melissa, "You love her."

"No," Melissa could physically feel her eyes widen in realization, "I'm IN love with her. The kind of love that you feel like you're suffocating without."

"Are we?" Dan realizes.

"I need a favor from both of you," she whips out her phone, showing them a photo on her phone.

"I'll take care of it," Dan nods, "I'll make a few calls."

Melissa tells her cousin her girlfriend's ring size, smiling from ear to ear.

As she finally finds them, she sits down across from the brunette, who appears to be lost in thought, "Mel?"

She raises a brow, "Hi."

"Well, that reply certainly lacks your normal enthusiasm, are you okay?" Charlotte asks, her voice calm.

"I don't know, I guess I just let my thoughts travel to a really dark place," she shrugs.

"Melissa," she hears the blonde whisper, "Hey."

She looks away, feeling utterly embarrassed that she thought Charlotte would ever stray.

"I get nervous sometimes," she admits.

"Oh no, Mel," Charlotte shakes her head.

"I just- I get nervous, and I shouldn't, because it's history, ancient history, but he was looking at you at the same way I do," she lightly pinches the bridge of her nose, "I can't help it, I love you so damn much, if I didn't, I wouldn't have gotten jealous."

"That explains why you walked away," Charlotte whispers, a soft smile gracing her features.

"I'm sorry," she starts.

"Don't be, don't ever be sorry for being honest about your feelings. I love you for that, for your bravery, your boldness, your, God I'm so madly, insanely, head over heels in love with you, that it makes me feel like my heart will burst. I didn't think it was possible for me to love someone the way that I love you."

That's when Melissa knew. 

When she saw the same look of love in Charlotte's eyes that reflected back at her every time she looked in the mirror.

And so began the master plan.

Because as cliche as it was?

There was nowhere Melissa could propose marriage to the love of her life that would ever make more sense.

Paris, and proposing here?

It fit them like a glove, it was that perfect.


	7. Phase One Of The Plan.

"Seamus!" Dan exhaled, "Please tell me it's on your person somewhere."

"My friend, you paid for it in full, besides, I'm not messing this up for Melissa," his jeweler sighed, "I traveled way too far to forget."

Dan inspects the ring, exhaling in relief, "Thank you."

Melissa and Hannah meanwhile, were inside the meeting room at the Eiffel Tower.

"We can do this."

Melissa looks resolute and determined, "It's going to happen."

"And she'll say yes."

Melissa sighs happily, "I know."  
Hannah sighs happily.

"I really do deserve this, I always have," Melissa tells her.

"I can't think of words that are more true, not even if I tried to," Hannah grins, nodding in agreement.

Dan walks up, "Phase one complete."

They smile brightly, it was all going according to plan.


End file.
